Device for indexing, guiding and severing a plurality of wires



Oct. 17, 1961 E. D. HANSON DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUIDING AND SEVERING APLURALITY OF WIRES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1958 I NV ENT ORATTORNEY BY GAG.

Oct. 17, 1961 E. D. HANSON 3,004,565

DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUID ING AND SEVERING A PLURALITY OF WIRES FiledAug. 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I 1 7 2: 1 3 INVENTOR BY (It/.6. M 7, EY

ATTOR Unimd States Patmt e ws-17 3,004,565 DEVICE FOR INDEXING, GUIDINGAND 'SEVERING A PLURALITY F WIRES Estyle D. Hanson, Baltimore, Md.,assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed Aug. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 753,683 2 Claims.(Cl. 140-71) This invention relates to devices for indexing, guiding andsevering a plurality of wires simultaneously, and more particularly,although not exclusively, to devices for indexing and guiding a group ofwires of indefinite lengths being fed intermittently along theirlongitudinal axes and for severing all of the wires of the groupsimultaneously and the group at successively, predetermined points alongtheir longitudinal axes.

The device may be utilized in apparatus, similar to that described andclaimed in application Serial No. 753,724, filed on August 7, 1958, inthe name of L. I. Moeller, which may be utilized in the formation ofcagelike subassemblies for east resin terminal assemblies.

The cast resin terminal assemblies are utilized in the communicationsindustry to facilitate wiring of relay racks or other telephoneapparatus requiring a mutiplicity of communications circuits. The castresin terminal assemblies are formed by casting plastic in all of thespace between the end plates of a cage-like subassembly.

A completed cage-like subassembly includes a pair of generallyrectangular substantially identical end or retaining plates or pieceparts formed from a stiff plastic material. Each of the. end plates, inone type of subassembly, are provided with five rows of eight axiallyspaced apertures. The apertures are square or noncircular in crosssection and are designed to receive a plurality of elongated, rod-liketerminals made up of square harddrawn, brass wire or the like which iscapable of being twisted axially and retaining a twisted set. Theterminals, like the apertures in which they are received, are square ornoncircular in cross section and fit snugly in the apertures.

An object of the present invention is to provide .improved wireindexing, guiding and severing devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device forguiding successive leading ends of a group of wires axially into aplurality of correspondingly arranged apertures, severing the wires toform successive predetermined lengths thereof and indexing the newleading ends laterally to successive groups of apertures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automaticallyoperated, indexing, guiding and severing device, wherein the wires. areindexed laterally-with respect to the elements into which they are-to beinsented longitudinally, and the wires are moved subsequently intoengagement with the severing means.

In attaining these and other objects, an indexing, guiding and severingdevice embodying certain aspects of the present invention may comprisean apertured wire guiding means, wire supplying means, means for feedingthe Wires longitudinally of the axes thereof and for feeding the leadingends of the wires predetermined distances through the guiding means andaligned aperatures in piece parts, means for indexing the guiding means,means for severing the wires, and means for moving the wires laterallyagainst the severing means to sever the wires and to form predeterminedlengths thereof in the piece parts.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be morereadilyunderstood from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in h FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a deviceembodying certain aspects of the present invention with portions brokenaway for the purpose of clarity;

:FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 takenalong line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a portion of the device ofFIG. 3 taken along line 4-4 thereof, and

FIG. 5 is a reduced, sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1taken along line 5-5 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof,there is shown a partially completed cast resin terminal stripsubassembly, designated generally by the numeral 11, which includes twospaced, parallel, apertured end or retaining plates 12 and 13. Theapertures 15-15 in the end plates are designed to receive a plurality ofsquare rod-like, parallelly disposed, elongated supply wires, designedgenerally by the numerals 14-14,, of indefinitelengths which are cut toform rows of elongated terminals 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 of predeterminedlengths after they have been inserted into the square, aligned apertures15-15 in the plates 12 and 13. All of the terminals 16-16, 17-17, 18-18,19-19 and 21-21 in each row are normally of equal lengths but thelengths of the terminals in different rows are of different lengths.

Prior to the assembly of the end plates 12 and 13 and the terminals16-16, 17-17, 1s 1s, 19 19 and to form. the subassernbly 11, the supplywires 14-14 are provided individually with a predetermined axialpretwist set so that in the finished subassembly adjacent terminals ineach row have opposite hand twists.

In the assembly of the end plates 12 and 13 [and terminals 15-16, 17-17,18-18,, 13-19 and 21-21 to form the subassembly 11, the end plates 12and 13 are held corresponding apertures 15-15 therein in precise matingrelationship. The leading ends 26-26 of the row of eight supply wires14-14 are fed simultaneously through the corresponding aligned apertures15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a predetermined distance. The supplywires 14-14 are then severed to form the terminals 15-16 havingpredetermined lengths and to form new leadings ends 27-27 on the supplywires 14-1-14. The new leading ends 27-27 are then indexed to theadjacent row of apertures 15-15, and fed into and through the Second rowof apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a e te m ed di nce n theupp ir l. are cut to form a second row of terminals 17-17 and newleading ends 28-28 on the supply wires 14-14. The abqverdescribedoperation is then repeated to form the third, fourth and fifth rows ofterminals 18-18, 19-19 d z sp t sly a n lead n en 23 3 and 26.

Referring now to t e rem n fi es of the d a in as well as FIG. 1, thereis showna wire indexing, guiding and severing device for performing theabove-described indexing, guiding and severing steps in thernanufactureof the subassembly 11. As disclosed in the aboveidentified application,indefinite lengths of supply wire 14-14 are fed from eight supply reelsby means of a multiple feed wire mechanism.

, The multiple feed wire mechanism includes two portions, a stationaryclamping unit (not shown) and a movable clamping unit 32. The stationaryclamping unit is designed to grip the supply wires 14-14 and preventmovement thereof to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. In this manner, thestationary clamping portion of the multiple feed wire mechanism permitsunidirectional movement of the wires 14-14 along the longitudinalthereof. The movable clamping unit 32 of the multiple feed wiremechanism is designed to grip the wires 14-14 extending therethrough ina generally parallel relationship when it is. moved in one direction, tothe right as viewed in FIG. 1, and to release the Wires 14-14 when movedin the other direction, to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. t

In this manner, the two clamping units of the multiple feed wiremechanism cooperate so that the movable clamping unit 32 of the feedmechanism, as illustrated in FIG. -1, grips the eight wires 14-14intermittently and feeds them simultaneously through eight telescopingguide tubes 33-33. The guide tubes 33-3-3 are attached flexibly to avertical movable guide member 34 having a horizontal row of eightapertures 36-36 communicating with the guide tubes 33-33. The guidemember 34 forms a part of the combined Wire indexing and severingdevice, designated generally by the numeral 37.

The guide member 34 is mounted slidably in a vertically movable mountingmember 38 which in turn is mounted slidably between a pair of spacedvertical guide members 39-39 which cooperate with a portion of the frame41 of the device to form a dovetailed slot 42. The vertical position ofthe mounting member 38 may be controlled selectively by any one of aseries of five multilobe earns 46, 47, 48, 49 and 51 mounted on a camshaft 52, rotated by appropriate means (not shown). The cam shaft 52 maybe utilized to control the sequence of operation of the machine in whichthe device is utilized and may be shifted manually by suitable means(not shown) to move any one of the cams 46, 47, 48, 49 and 51 intoengagement with a cam follower 53 depending from the lower end of themounting member 38.

When a subassembly 11 having five rows of terminals is to be assembled,the cam shaft 52 is positioned such thatthe cam 51 engages the camfollower 53. The contour of the cam 51 is such that it will index themounting member 38 and thus the guide member 34 five times during eachrevolution of the cam shaft 52, whereby successive leading ends 26, 27,28, 29 and 31 of the supply wires 14-14, positioned in the apertures 36in the guide member 34, are aligned successively with the five separaterows of apertures 15-15 in'the plastic end plates 12 and 13.

The end plates 12 and 13 are held adjacent to the guide member 34 bysuitable end plate holding and separating means, designated generally bythe numeral 54, disclosed in greater detail in my copending applicationSerial No. 753,795, filed on August 7, 1958.

The guide member 34 is designed to be moved vertically upwardly a shortdistance relative to the mounting member 38 by movement of a lever arm56 (FIG. 3) mounted pivotably on a fulcrum pin 57 secured to themounting member 38. The lever arm 56 is connected to the guide member 34by means of a pin 58. An enlarged aperture 59 formed in the mountingmember 38 permits limited vertical movement of the pin 58 and theattached guide member 34 relative to the mounting member 38. The-leverarm 56 is operated by means of a fluid piston-cylinder assembly,designated generally by the numeral 61, secured to the mounting member38. When the piston-cylinder assembly 61 is actuated, the lever arm 56is pivoted clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, to move the guide member 34upwardly a short distance. The assembly' 61 is actuated by anappropriate electrical circuit (not shown). The timing of the actuationof the assembly 61 is controlled by the cam shaft 52, which actuates aswitch (not shown) in the electrical-circuit. The movement of the guidemember 34 upwardly carries the supply wires 14-14 against a sharpcutting edge on a shear plate 62 secured to the mounting member 38 nearthe top thereof, whereby the wires 14-14are severed to form terminals'16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 of predetermined lengths and new "leading ends26, 27, 28, 29 and 3-1 on the supply wires 14-14.

Operation At the start of the operating cycle, the cam shaft 52 whichcontrols the sequence of operation is rotating, and the guide member 34is at a position wherein the apertures 36therein are aligned with thelowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the plastic end plates 12 and 13which are held by the end plate holding and separating mechanism 54.Subsequently, when the movable clamping unit 3-2 of the wire feedmechanisrm'co-ntrolled by the cam shaft 52, is actuated the leadends 26of the eight supply wires 14-14 are fed a predetermined distance intoand through the lowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12and 13 until they come adjacent to a stepfaced, abutting stop member 63.

Immediately after the completion of the operation of the movableclamping unit 32 of the feeding mechanism, the fluid piston-cylinderassembly 61 is actuated to operate the lever arm 56 to cause the eightsupply wires 14-14 to be severed by the cutting edge of the shear plate62 to form terminals 16-16 and new leading ends 27-27 on the wires14-14. Thus, the lowermost row of apertures 15-15 in the plastic endplates 12 and 13 now contain a row of terminals 16-16 of a predeterminedlength.

Meanwhile, the cam shaft 52 has continued to rotate and has reached aposition wherein the cam 51 causes the mounting member 38 to be indexedupwardly so that the apertures 36 in the guide member 34 and the leadingends 27-27 of the wires 14-14 therein are in alignment with the adjacentrow of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 preparatory tofeeding the leading ends 27-27 of the supply wires 14-44 into andthrough the second row of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13adjacent to the same step of the abutting stop member 63.

The movable clamping unit 32 of the Wire feeding mechanism is thenoperated for a second time, in the present cycle, to advance the leadingends 27-27 of the eight supply wires 14-14 into and through the secondrow of apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 a predetermineddistance;

The distance which the movable clamping unit 32 of the wire feedingmechanism moves 'the leading ends of the eight supply wires 14-14through the apertures 15-15 in the end plates 12 and 13 is controlled bya limit switch in the electrical circuit and also by a verticallyreciprocable stop member which abuts a stepped stop-engaging member (allof which are not shown). The stop is moved vertically by a cam (notshown), secured to and rotated by the cam shaft 52, and is adapted tocontrol the variable limited movement of the clamping unit 32 during thefeeding of the supply wires 14-14 by engaging successive steps of thestop-engaging member which is secured to the movable clamping unit 32.

At the completion of the operation of the movable clamping unit 32 ofthe feeding mechanism, the assembly 61 is operated to sever'thesupplywires 14-14 to form a second row of termin'als'17-17 of predeterminedlengths. The above-described operation is then repeated to formthethird, fourth and fifth rows of terminals 18-18, 19-19 and 21-21,respectively, and leading ends 29-29, 31-31 and 26-26 of the supplywires 17-17 in a similar manner.

Subsequently, when the end plates are separated by the end plate holdingand separating means 54, the leading ends 26-26, 27-27, 28-28, 29-29 and31-31 abut the corresponding steps of the stop member 63 to preventrelative movement between the end plate 13 and the terminals 16-16,17-17, 18-18,.19-19 and 21-21 during the separation of the end plates 12and 13.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the principles of the inventionp Other arrangements maybe devised by those skilled in the art which embody the principles ofthe invention and fall within the, spirit and-scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for indexing a row of elongated, pretwisted noncircularwires adjacent to successive rows of complementary shaped apertures instationary end plates, feeding and guiding the row of wires intosuccessive rows of the apertures of the end plates while preventinguntwisting of the wires, and severing the row of wires to form each ofsuccessive rows of terminals of a cage-like terminal strip subassembly,which comprises means for simultaneously feeding a row of supply wiresof an indefinite length intermittently longitudinally, the supply wireshaving noncircular cross sections, a carriage mounted for reciprocableindexing movement transversely of the axes of the supply wires,wire-guiding means mounted slidably on the carriage for rectilinearmovement relative to the carriage and transversely of the axes of thewires, a plurality of telescoping guide tubes secured pivotably at oneend to the wire feeding means and secured at the other end to thewire-guiding means, said guiding means having a row of noncircularwireguiding apertures for guiding the noncircular supply wires intosuccessive rows of the apertures in the end plates and for aligning andangularly orienting the ends of the twisted supply wires with theapertures of the end plates, a shear plate secured fixedly to thecarriage and designed for cooperation with the guiding means forsevering all wires of the row of supply wires simultaneously,fluid-actuated means secured to the carriage for movement therewith andconnected operably to the guiding means for moving the guiding meanstransversely of the longitudinal axes of the supply wires to move thesupply Wires against the shear plate for severing all of the supplywires simultaneously, and cam means for periodically indexing thecarriage to move the guiding means with the free ends of the supplywires therein to successive positions wherein the row of apertures inthe guiding means and the free ends of the row of supply wires arealigned with successive rows of apertures in the end plates.

2. A device for indexing a row of elongated, pretwisted noncircularwires adjacent to successive rows of complementary shaped apertures instationary end plates, feeding and guiding the row of wires intosuccessive rows of the apertures of the end plates while preventinguntwisting of the wires, and severing the row of wires to form each ofsuccessive rows of terminals of a cagelike terminal strip subassembly,which comprises means for simultaneously feeding a row of supply Wiresof an indefinite length intermittently longitudinally, the supply wireshaving noncircular cross sections, a carriage mounted for reoiprocableindexing movement transversely of the axes of the supply wires,wire-guiding means mounted slidably on the carriage for rectilinearmovement relative to the carriage and transversely of the axes of theWires, a plurality of telescoping guide tubes secured pivotably at oneend to the wire feeding means and secured at the other end to thewireguiding means, said guiding means having a row of noncircularwire-guiding apertures, some of said apertures being oriented angularlywith respect to others for guiding the noncircular supply wires havingoppositehand twists into successive rows of the apertures in the endplates all having the same angular orientation and for aligning andangularly orienting the ends of the twisted supply wires with theapertures of the end plates, a shear plate secured fixedly to thecarriage adjacent to and on a side of the guiding means toward which thecarriage is indexed between the insertion of successive rows ofterminals into the rows of apertures in the end plates and designed forcooperation with the guiding means for severing all wires of the row ofsupply wires simultaneously, fluid-actuated means secured to thecarriage for movement therewith and connected operably to the guidingmeans for moving the guiding means transversely of the longitudinal axesof the supply wires to move the supply wires against the shear plate forsevering all of the supply wires simultaneously, and cam means forperiodically indexing the carriage to move the guiding means with thefree ends of the supply wires therein to successive positions whereinthe row of apertures in the guiding means and the free ends of the rowof supply wires are aligned with successive rows of apertures in the endplates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,247,957 Marogg July 1, 1941 2,486,450 Wahl Nov. 1, 1949 2,698,033Amman et al. Dec. 28, 1954 2,836,287 Cady May 27, 1958 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,004,565 October17 196! Estyle D. Hanson ent requiring correction and that the eelcorrected below.

Column 2, line 30, after "and" insert 2l2 l 37, after "held" insertadjacent to each other as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the line 54,, for"28" read 29 line Signed and sealed this 10th day of April 1962,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

